|
|
Post by leanneb on Oct 20, 2013 12:44:49 GMT -7
I remembered this site last year when my then 3 year old, black and tan mini, ruptured her first disc. Our vet at the time prescribed methocrabomal and prednisone and told Dash to "take it easy for a few days". Of course, being that Dash has been like my child, my gut knew this response did not seem right and that this situation seemed more severe. That's when I ran into the most uplifting and informative site for IVDD-Dachshund owners;Dodgerslist. What a lifesaver this was! After 8 weeks of strict crate therapy, Dash made a full recovery and was better than ever! I wish I could stop here and say it was a happy ending, however I cannot and can safely say we are in hell once again. It all began three days ago, Dash's 4th birthday, and we noticed she was not her spritely self. I knew the signs from before and immediately put her in her kennel and gave her aspirin to monitor the pain. 24 hours passed and she was still the same and I knew we had relapsed. I called our new (amazing) vet and had her fill an immediate prescription of methocarbomal, in the event it got worse, to hold us over this weekend. We have to wait 24 hours before beginning prednisone until all the previously administered aspirin is out of her system. Well bad turned to worse and worse than before. Dash cannot stand on her own, is knuckled over, and has lost complete function of her bladder. Last night I spent the entire night crying because I knew that I could not care for a "downed" dog nor would I allow her to live a life like this forever. I took her into the emergency vet this a.m. And had her administer a deep pain pressure test which thank goodness Dash still has. She showed me how to express her bladder and gave me a new pain med (starts with a T) to help with her pain. She said to give Dash at least 2 weeks to begin improving, especially regaining bladder control. I don't know what to think right now! I am an emotional wreck thinking that my precious companion who has affected the lives of many kids and adults alike, is confined to a kennel again and cannot even relieve herself. Please tell me, given the severity of Dash's situation, will she be able to regain bladder control and hind leg movement? I don't want her to suffer any more than she has to. She has been my most loyal friend and I only want to do what is best for her. She HATES being confined to her kennel and yelps most of the day, which is not effective for her recovery. I will have to go back to work tomorrow and will not be able to administer her second round of pain meds as well as take her to the bathroom. This is not fair to her. I don't know what to do!!
I wanted to add to my previous post that my fiancé and I were diligent the first go around with Dash's conservative treatment recovery, however it took a toll on us financially and emotionally. This time because her situation seems worse, he brought up possibly putting her down because it would be unfair to her to put her through that again. The emergency vet gave me a little hope today in saying that her deep pressure pain still existed, but like I said before, we are in no position to care for a downed dog the rest of her/our lives. This is why I am a wreck. The thought of not having Dash in my life is wreaking havoc on my heart! We already spent $150 in prescriptions and taking her to the ER, and haven't even been in to see our regular vet yet. I just need someone to tell me that it's okay, Dash will make a full recovery and be back to normal when all is said and done. I need to know I'm making the best decision for her either way...
Surgery is not an option for us at this point. We are trying to save for our wedding next summerand had success with crate rest last year (when Dash's injury was less severe).
She is 10.8 pounds. I started a diet right away, on the onset of injury, to get her back down to 10. I'm restricting intake of food by about 1/4 cup each day. I also give her a lot of frozen peanut butter kongs to keep her busy and those can be filling!
She has been eating and drinking just fine. No urination in the last 24 hrs, which is why I took her into the er vet to get expressed. Her bowel movements have been normal and incontinent. She has not had a bladder or BM since 9:30 this am. We are taking her back to the er (per their request) to get another run down of bladder expression.
She cannot stand without buckling/knuckling over and falling limp to her butt.
She has a slight tail wag still and is not in pain anymore.
In fact, if she could talk, she'd tell you that she is just fine and that it's time to play each potty break I give her.
She HATES being in her kennel where there is action going on elsewhere. If her whining gets too bad, I'll crush
an 1/8 of a Benadryll to sedate and calm her.
She's been on strict crate rest for 48 hours now.
Meds are as follows:
Methocarbomal 1/8 to 1/16 3x/day
Tramadol 1/4 to 1/2 every 6-8 hours as needed for pain
I'm also beginning a Pepcid regimen to get her ready for steroids tomorrow, Prednisone.
* Dash has accompanied me every single day for the last 4 years and we have been through a lot of trying times together. I was a special Ed teacher and she would come with me every single day and act as a therapy dog for all of my students. I have two mini's, and there is just something special about Dash. Everyone who has met her has fallen in love with her human-like connection that she embodies. You can tell exactly what she's thinking just by her eyes! She had inspired three of my friends/co-workers/family members to get mini-d's as well and each one of them has said, "I wish they could've been more like Dash!" I can't allow her to live a life restricted to paralysis/cart, so I am trying....really trying to remain hopeful in her recovery this second go-around. Reese, my other pup, is absolutely lost without her already and life just wouldn't be the same with our "wise, old lady" 
Thank you for your support!
Meth
|
|
Lisa & Leto
New Member
3 surgical on Leto, 3 other back dogs in past
Posts: 5 
|
Post by Lisa & Leto on Oct 20, 2013 14:01:03 GMT -7
Sorry that Dash is not up and about yet. Don't give up on her. I also thought I could never deal with a downed dog but since my Leto has not regained the ability to walk so far my whole outlook on that has changed. He is not in any pain and the front end isn't ready to go anywhere. He does have bladder and bowel control which makes everything much easier. See if you can get a friend or neighbor to help with the one time during the day you cannot get to her and that might get you through the hard part. No one knows if they will walk again until they do so keep up with the crate rest and meds and she may surprise you. A cart for them is not a restriction, they don't care as long as they can get the squirrel. I thought a cart dog was not for me also but Leto is not ready to give up so I am not ready to give up on him. I hope some others who have cart dogs will reply as they have a fantastic quality of life and are inspirational to us humans who have handicaps.
|
|
PaulaM
Moderator. 
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,598
|
Post by PaulaM on Oct 20, 2013 15:51:02 GMT -7
Leanne, sorry to hear Dash has had another disc episode. The good news is you knew to crate at once to help protect the disc and the spinal cord. Please mark your aspirin bottle "NOT for pets" It really takes 14 days of washout before the switch should happen. YOur vet is willing to take a risk for the potential benefit of getting swelling down asap with Pred. So please not only get Pepcid AC on board, but also a second stomach protector called sucralfate.. you will need to strongly advocate for this Rx item. Do your homework so you are in a position of being able to firmly advocate for sucralfate: www.marvistavet.com/html/sucralfate.htmlAs Lisa mentioned no one can say when or how much nerves will repair, IVDD is a disease that requires our patience. It is also people who have the hang ups about handicaps. Dash, if needing to use a wheelchair will consider herself handi CAPABLE, just like my Clark does…nothing he is not willing to take on and do. But that is way far down the line. Right now the concentration is on the real priorities… getting through all 4 phases of healing. Are you ready? Since you've last been here we have some really good information to get your mind refreshed…. this is a good page to start on: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/healingpage.htmAre you still in the school system? If you can care for DAsh prior to this disc episode, then you CAN care for her should she need a wheelchair while waiting on nerves to heal. We do what we need to do to help family. Conservative treatment is not expensive. It takes meds, crate rest and time. Generic meds are available at most pharmacies under the $4 per prescription (30 tabs) and the cost of vet visits. Check out this information:http://www.dodgerslist.com/literature/IVDDcourse/medications_used.html Now is not the time for any diets. Dash needs nutrients to do all the needed repair jobs. Instead of very high calorie peanut butter in a kong, freeze a portion of her normal kibble meal in a kong. Soak the kibble in liquid and stuff in kong to freeze. This way you are not giving her extra food and she is having to work for her dinner. Expressing is a new skill. While on pred she would need to be expressed every 2-3 hours while you perfect your skill and then it could move to every 3-4 hours. Once off of pred expressing can be every 6-8 hours. Dex is supposed to cause less thirst and less peeing. Discuss with the vet pred vs. Dex. or even using a NSAID which does not increase thirst because you can't be there to express as often. Explain your work situation and you and the vet come up with a good plan with meds. Let us know specifically that you do NOT see any of these signs of pain: shivering, yelping, tight tense tummy, arched back, doesn't want to move very much. Any hint of these pain signs nearing the next dose of Tramadol/ methocarbamol? |
|
Marjorie
Moderator~ 
Member since 2011. Surgery & Conservative
Posts: 5,724
|
Post by Marjorie on Oct 20, 2013 17:09:18 GMT -7
I know how overwhelming all of this can be, Leanne. But it will get easier, truly. Once you've gotten through the vitally important links that Paula has given you, here are some tips to help calm Dash while on crate rest: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/EmergencyCrate%20Training.htmHere are some tips that help with expressing, too: www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Expressing.htm And before you say again, "I can't allow her to live a life restricted to paralysis/cart", please read this page: www.dodgerslist.com/index/SDUNCANquality.htmAlso these success stories should be very encouraging to you: dodgerslist.com/monthstory.htmYou can do this! Many, many people live with downed dogs and are blessed to have them in their lives. And they work and have families and all that goes with it. My Jeremy had no deep pain sensation and was paralyzed for months. He had a cart, which he loved. He went right into the ocean in it and ran like the wind! Then, as he improved, he left the cart behind him and is now walking on his own. He is still incontinent but expressing him has become a routine part of our daily lives. Dash did well with the crate rest last time. So you're an old hand at this! The only difference this time is expressing and you'll get the hang of that in no time. Just take it one day at a time and try not to look ahead, as you don't know how Dash will be a month from now or a year from now. She may very well improve like she did last time. Still having a tail wag and deep pain sensation are very good! You said that if she could talk, she would tell you that she's just fine - and she's right! As long as her pain is under control, she's fine. We're here for you and will help you and Dash through this. Blessings to you both. |
|
|
|
Post by leanneb on Oct 21, 2013 10:22:16 GMT -7
Ladies, I need your help.
My fiance took Dash into the vet this morning. Before he took her in and after I administered her a.m. meds, she went from bad to worse. She yelped in extreme pain and bit him twice. She huddled in the back of her kennel afraid to look at him. Dash was gone. He rushed her into the vet and they told us she no longer had any deep pain response and she was in terrible pain. They let us know that we had three options: surgery, immediate IV with steroids for the next 6 hours, or euthanization. They recommended surgery, but we are in no position to afford that. So we went with the option of hooking her up to an IV and putting her under for the next 6 hours to pump her with steroids in the hopes of alleviating her pain. They are going to hold her for 24 hours. I don't know what to think now. I was holding onto the hope of her still having her deep pain response and that we were going to make it through this, but now it has gotten much worse. My fiance' and I are both wrecks and both agree that we need to do what is right for Dash. I just don't know what that is anymore.
|
|
PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,598
|
Post by PaulaM on Oct 21, 2013 10:55:43 GMT -7
Leanne, I'm so sorry to hear something happened to cause such terrible pain out of the blue. It may have been a bit of rambunctious movement in her crate that retore the early healing disc and the need to start crate rest from the beginning. You write of terrible and extreme pain. I don't want to scare you but I do want to make you aware of a disease that can follow any type of spinal cord injury and it is called Myelomalacia. www.dodgerslist.com/literature/Myelomalacia.pdf With Myelomalacia, what happens basically is that the spinal cord starts to die from the point of the spinal cord trauma moving forward toward the head. It can happen fast, within hours. Here are some of the symptoms that are used to diagnose Myelomalacia and the symptoms that evolve as it progresses so that you can ask the vet if Dash is developing them. Not all vets have seen this disease, so you may well want to discuss it with your vet. Should she be developing myelomalacia, before she has difficulty breathing, you would want to help her cross to the bridge to spare a very painful death. The cause of M or how it happens is still unknown and that is why research is going on at Purdue Univ. Myelomalacia can be easily confirmed by your DVM with the following: * about 3-4 days into recovery, they become painful. Within the first week, they are in a LOT of pain. * development of excruciating pain (more than just pain from the original disc herniation) • even the strongest pain meds do not help * acute disc extrusion with no deep pain sensation * loss of anal tone, the anus hangs open, (anal flaccidity) and areflexia (below normal or no reflexes) * loss of cutaneous trunci reflex at a level more cranial to a previous evaluation over a period of hours to days with or w/o surgery * development of fever (normal rectal temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit) * sudden twitching or jerking of the neck and/or head * loss of voice, hoarse bark * can't hold body up, can't hold head up * increased respiration/ labored breathing • hyper-esthesia (over-reaction to any touch sensation on body) I'm hoping and praying this is not Myelomalacia and it was an unfortunate retearing of the disc and the steroid blasting will be of good help to Dash. Let us know when you get an update. We anxiously wait and pray for Dash. |
|
|
|
Post by leanneb on Oct 22, 2013 7:20:13 GMT -7
I called the vet shortly after receiving this message and the vet assured me that this was not the case. She was very knowledgeable in the matter and said that Dash's symptoms did not mirror this disease. Dash stayed at the er vet clinic over night and was administered more rounds of steroids. I called the vet on-duty this morning to ask how she was doing and she reported that she was looking pretty depressed and yelps each time they went to express her bladder. She said she didn't know if it was related to pain, or if Dash was just getting tired of having it done and was expressing her dislike (I can see the latter being the case). They fed her all throughout the night and said when they went to give her food this morning that she had no interest in eating. Now, I keep my fingers crossed for when my vet administers her last round of steroids this am and conducts a deep pressure pain test again. If she responds to it, then we are on the right track. If she does not respond to it, then the vet, my fiance' and I will discuss our options from there. I do NOT want Dash to suffer and to have to have a poor quality of life than that of what she is used to. I was an absolute wreck last night, but I know that God will give me the strength to do what it right. Keep you posted, and keeping fingers crossed!
|
|
PaulaM
Moderator.
Member since 2007: surgery, conservative . Montana, USA
Posts: 19,598
|
Post by PaulaM on Oct 22, 2013 11:14:37 GMT -7
So glad to hear there is no evidence of another disease!!
Deep pain sensation (a neuro function) can take time to come back, so do not be distressed if it is not immediate today or tomorrow…nerves that have been damaged have to regrow, we have observed this many times….have patience to let nerves heal.
Do inquire if Dash is getting double stomach protection against the high dose of IV steroids…. such as this combo: Pepicd AC (famotidine) and sucralfate. The not eating does sound like a sign of GI tract distress.
The focus at this point in time is not the nerve healing but that pain is being controlled so that healing can take place in comfort…nerve healing, disc healing….those all can possibly take more time.
Let us know what they say about pain control and that Dash's GI tract is being double protected.
|
|
|
|
Post by leanneb on Oct 23, 2013 8:13:11 GMT -7
Hello again. I just wanted to thank you for being an immediate support for me this past week. I am saddened to report that Dash's deep pain response did not come back after her emergency steroid and accupuncture treatment. We made the excruciatingly painful decision yesterday to put her down so that she would be able to have eternal peace and happiness. When we went to see her for the last time, it only validated our decision. Over the last 4 years of Dash's life, everyone was always saying how spunky she was and full of personality. Moreover, everyone was always amazed at how she could connect to people with her eyes. I swear, I always knew what that dog was thinking just by looking at those eyes! When the vet brought her into us, that lively connection was no longer there. She looked depressed and showed very little affection. She looked miserable. It pains me to think what she was thinking the last 72 hours of her life; such misery! I understand that there are some dogs and owners who make good candidates for carts and to live a life with paralysis, but that would not be Dash. Not with her independent little personality. She could not bare to sit in her feces all day while we would have been at work and still give us those loving, full-of-life-eyes. We did what was best for her and have a sense of peace knowing that she is in a much better place than what we could have offered her here. Even if we would've opted to take her home to continue recovery, it would have affected her much more than it did last year. Being hurt and confined like that last year aged her so much, and that age was even more apparent yesterday for all of the stress she had to endure in her last days. Her chances for re injury would have been even greater as well as having it be an even more severe, painful injury in the future. It hurts my heart and I am in a lot of pain today, but I know deep down that we did what was right for her. We lost our baby, our little girl, who has touched the lives of so many kids and adults alike. She will be forever remembered and missed.
As a side note, it was nice to come home to our other mini-d pup last night and know that we now have the knowledge to be proactive in preventing her from injuring herself as well. She is also lost without Dash and has not been eating; she is very much grieving the lost of her best friend. I have often wondered why I bought Reese (out chocolate and tan mini) on such a whim and without thinking it through...Dash hated her (secretly I know she loved her though), and we would always say, "Maybe we shouldn't have gotten her for Dash's sake". Now I know. It was for us. She will never be able to replace Dash, but she will give us unconditional love and comfort as we grieve the loss of best friend....
Thank you again.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jean & Mimi on Oct 23, 2013 8:46:07 GMT -7
I am sorry for your loss. I wish you peace in your grief.
|
|
|
|
Post by gretasmom on Oct 23, 2013 17:27:33 GMT -7
So very sorry for your loss. <3
|
|
|
|
Post by Kristen & Yogi on Oct 23, 2013 17:48:07 GMT -7
So sorry to hear of the loss of your Dash!
|
|
|
|
Post by Samantha & Shorty on Oct 23, 2013 18:39:55 GMT -7
So very sorry for your loss.. My thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
|
|
StevieLuv
Helpful Member 
Conservative Treatment 3x. It really does work!
Posts: 1,335
|
Post by StevieLuv on Oct 23, 2013 18:48:36 GMT -7
I am so sorry for your loss. May the memories of good times past give you comfort.
|
|
Lisa & Leto
New Member
3 surgical on Leto, 3 other back dogs in past
Posts: 5
|
Post by Lisa & Leto on Oct 26, 2013 4:32:01 GMT -7
Sorry that it had to come to you losing Dash, it is a hard decision and one I have had to make before. Glad you have another pup to help you through your loss. Lots of hugs and love for all.
|
|
lupi
New Member
Doing better every day!
Posts: 52
|
Post by lupi on Oct 26, 2013 21:08:36 GMT -7
I'm so sorry to hear that you lost your little Dash girl. She sounds so much like my Lupi-another old soul with penetrating, human eyes. There will never be another Dash, but I'm glad you have Reese to comfort you. Lots if hugs and healing thoughts for you and your family.
|
|
